Samsung's Crappy Update Policy.

[J Dubbs]

Yeah, its sucks to be in your consumer category because most OEMs abandon software support after 2 OS cycles. Most consumers that keep a phone till it dies don't even notice that they stop getting updates. The consumers who upgrade every 1 to 2 years or less don't care that much either.

If more people cared and complained or boycotted their products we would see some change to software support.

You make very valid points Mike, I personally don't worry about updates much, os or security, because the majority of security is how you use your phone (what apps you download, what links you click etc) not so much the updates.... which a lot of times don't have as much security in them as the phone manufacturers would like you to think. What irritates me is the way these companies play with people's minds, convincing them right down the path to paying outrageous prices for sealed, disposable phones that they want you to believe aren't worth using once their shorter and shorter software support cycles end.

Heck you can buy a good Moto phone for a quarter the price of a Samsung flagship that gets just as long or longer security and os updates. That's sad :-[

 

[bryantj3303]

I do think that the Note line gets short-changed in this respect. The first OS update comes within 6 months after launch. The Note 9 is only 18 months old and is about to get what might be it's last OS update. For that reason, I bought my Note 9 on Swappa, for less than half the launch price, just as the Note 10 launched because the value dropped so fast, combined with the OS update policy. Because of this, it would be nice if the Note line got an additional OS update, or receive security updates for a longer duration than it currently does. I do hope Project Treble or Mainline via Android 10 will help extend the life cycle.

I also think the 5 year iOS update is a bit of a misnomer. Prior to my Note, I had an iPhone (and still have an iPad) and can tell you that with each subsequent OS update, fewer additional features are received. By year 4, you're basically getting a few new features, security updates and a much slower phone. Yes, a 6S gets updates, but it's not receiving all the features of an 11. Also, iOS doesn't get monthly updates, it seems to be more sporadic; and some of those updates should be delayed because they create more problems than they solve.

 

[TOFC]

My issue is that I worry about updates but change phone every year anyway!

 

[delta7]

Here's the thing, we talk about IOS giving 5 years but look at those updates closely and most of the yearly updates is more incremental.

Stuff like reply to texts from the lock screen and so forth but it's nothing really major. I can say the same for probably the last 2 Google updates where more focused on security but google usually did some serious updating to change the who feature set of the phone.

Also even if Apple doesn't focus on the consumer buying a new phone every year by giving shorter updates, they give accessories and market them like main products. The ear pros or whatever their called is on sale for $250 lol. It's just good marketing.

After owning a ipad and iphone I will say Apple does the basics well but the OS is nothing compared to Android and it's same android doesn't go past 2 major updates.

I really think the problem is google still doesn't have the accessory market on lock like Apple, Apple Home may have flopped by the earphones fly off the shelves, the watches too... Google still needs to get more ground so they can be less stingy on security updates. The note 9 can easily get 2 more major updates.

That pissed me off about android also, too short for the money and too many phones coming out with pretty much the same speed.

 

[bryantj3303]

You make very valid points Mike, I personally don't worry about updates much, os or security, because the majority of security is how you use your phone (what apps you download, what links you click etc) not so much the updates.... which a lot of times don't have as much security in them as the phone manufacturers would like you to think. What irritates me is the way these companies play with people's minds, convincing them right down the path to paying outrageous prices for sealed, disposable phones that they want you to believe aren't worth using once their shorter and shorter software support cycles end.

Heck you can buy a good Moto phone for a quarter the price of a Samsung flagship that gets just as long or longer security and os updates. That's sad :-[

I agree, all good points. Just look at the news about Jeff Bezos iPhone X getting hacked, and via WhatsApp (a chat ap with encryption!). A majority of the security is how one uses their phone.

 

[Mike Dee]

All good points here. It's great when can all offer our insight and opinion without getting into OEM wars. We learn a lot that way.

 

[mustang7757]

All good points here. It's great when can all offer our insight and opinion without getting into OEM wars. We learn a lot that way.

Agree

 

[j_hansen]

A Note 8 with Android 10 would still feel very much like a flagship or at least a high end midrange phone today, 2nd hand value would probably also be a little better if it was 3 iterations of software and 5 on security patches, maybe not monthly for 5 years but quarterly the last two

 

[Baz S]

I'm writing this on a Note 9 possibly a few days from the last major system overhaul.

It's crazy because the Note 9 is more than capable of running whatever you throw it at for the next years to come.

The Note 8 also capable, but already left behind in the dust.

Then comes the Note 10. By this time next year, it will also be at the end of its' "life" in terms of "feature" updates.

It's 2020. I still can't wrap my head around the thought of a device like the Note 10... on the last year of feature support next year because of some antiquated "2 major updates only" policy.

It sucks even more for late adopters who wait a year or so for prices to drop. They only get 1 major feature update.

Meanwhile Apple is probably modifying iOS 14 to run on the iPhone 6S as we speak, a now almost 5 year old phone.

Will this policy ever change? I mean what is the "excuse?" How do you guys feel about that? I know it's been like this for a while now, surely it's time for a revamp.

Apple only may support older 6s because its one thier few cheaper phones that the less wealthy can get into their ecosystems via. Its nothing altruistic, just trying to cover their bottom line. Careful using them as a benchmark.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Doesn't bother me to be honest, phone is already the most advanced software wise. Even if Samsung gave no Android version updates and did only security updates I'd buy their phones. Takes other OEMs years to implement some features, most new Android features from Google are already found on Samsung phones.

As far as Apple updates are concerned, and how they go back 5 years on hardware, it's not as great as it sounds. When a new version if iOS comes older devices get updated without all of the features. I've also seen their updates kill hardware on older devices. I'd rather my phone not get ruined by a buggy update.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I was referring to OS updates. In not sure how long Samsung provides monthly patches for. @mustang7757 might know.
In any event it only matters to those that it matters to. I used to upgrade every two years but I bought the LG G5, V20, Pixel 2XL, 3XL, Samsung S10+, Note 10+ all during their release. My next device may be the S20 but I'm leaning towards the Note version which would put me on a yearly schedule. 2 years of major OS dates is plenty for me. It really depends on needs and wants. I was tell people go with what works best for you.

Samsungs giving monthly security updates for 3 years and providing quarterly after that. At least that is what they've done with the S7, their oldest phone they still update.

 

[mustang7757]

Samsungs giving monthly security updates for 3 years and providing quarterly after that. At least that is what they've done with the S7, their oldest phone they still update.

True , last I heard they got a security update in November.

 

[TOFC]

Doesn't bother me to be honest, phone is already the most advanced software wise. Even if Samsung gave no Android version updates and did only security updates I'd buy their phones. Takes other OEMs years to implement some features, most new Android features from Google are already found on Samsung phones.

This is right on the money. Samsung have been ahead of the game for years IMO, when they dropped touchwizz and ramped up to 1 UI they delivered the knockout blow.

I’ve had every iPhone since the iPhone 3GS, more out of familiarity rather than because I love iOS. Most years I get a couple of months in and regret buying the latest iPhone. iOS has changed very little overall in the past several years, I honestly think besides a few features, If being fully unbiased, somebody wouldn’t immediately know the difference between iOS 11,12 or 13 if it was presented on 3 seoerate phones on a table in front of them.

In contrast, Samsung supports 2 major updates but look at everything that gets changed in each update in comparison to IOS

Another thing is that wait a few months after launch and you’ll pick a Samsung flagship up heavily discounted, not so with an iPhone. The money saving in my eyes makes it easier to upgrade more often with Samsung due to lower cost. You can’t blame people for holding on to iPhones for years after the price they cost!

Sorry for the long post, hope it all makes sense

 

[Ry]

Samsungs giving monthly security updates for 3 years and providing quarterly after that. At least that is what they've done with the S7, their oldest phone they still update.

Are we only talking "flagships"?

 

[VentureBuilder]

I certainly care. Samsung has been full of hot air lately and slacking on their product turn outs. I've owned Samsung products for years and they just seem to keep getting worse ,not better. I just bought the new Note 10+5g and it's super buggy! I can't even screen mirror! And even if it desides to somehow work, I can only view the content of my gallery, nothing else. It won't mirror icons, apps or menus. I've also been having a problem with texts that I send. The phone gives notification of sent text, but whatever I wrote is not seen in the text conversation window. Moreover, the person I texted doesn't respond to what I wrote. This is completely random because it doesn't happen with all texts or contacts.

I'm super annoyed with Samsung who was no help with the screen mirror issue. At $1,200 for a phone you would think they have their **** together. I bout one for my GF on the same day and her's works fine.

I'm just about ready to move to iphone, and I seriously hate iphone!

 

[TOFC]

I'm just about ready to move to iphone, and I seriously hate iphone!

Don't do it!

 

[racedog]

Hmmm, I also have the Note 10+ 5G. But, while it has some issues, I'm not having any of the issues you talk about here. I can mirror to our TV's with no problem, have no problem with sending or receiving texts etc.

My real issue is with the so-called 5g. That's pretty pointless, at least it is for me and I live in a band 71 covered area.

You mention iPhone, I've been shopping iPhones for the last half hour online. I've been using Android and Samsung since the S2. Had the S2, S3, S4, S5, Note 5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, and Note 10. You get the picture.

I'm just fed up with Alphabet (Google) having no boundaries or scruples with my privacy. Alphabet is not primarily a tech company, they are an advertising company that uses tech to take all of my personal information and sell it to the highest bidder and shove increasingly obnoxious ads in my face at the most unwanted times. Their largest source of income is not from selling tech hardware or software, it is from selling advertising and the data of the suckers who use their OS.

Ok, rant over!

 

[Golurk]

The problem is practically all apps, including those on iOS and websites take your data and sell them to other companies. So it’s really a matter of how noticeable it is. Also with Samsung, recently they’ve been pretty good with their updates. My S7 Edge is still receiving security updates every couple of months, and its practically 4 years old. The policy of 2 major OS updates and 3 years of security is nothing to complain about compared to other OEMs. Sure, it could be better, but remember that Apple has complete control over its software allowing it to have 5 year update support.

Also, recently Samsung updated their phones before Google’s to the latest software...